Turkey’s Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry is implementing fresh regulations for menus in restaurants and cafes, requiring detailed ingredient and calorie information for all items. The move, aimed at promoting informed consumer choices, will impact businesses across the country, with implementation staggered over the next two years.
DETAILED MENUS TO BECOME STANDARD, INCLUDING QR CODES
According to reports, the Ministry has updated the Turkish Food Codex Food Labeling and Consumer Information Guide to support healthier eating habits. Businesses will be required to provide a comprehensive breakdown of food components, calorie counts, allergen information, and details regarding the presence of alcohol or pork-derived ingredients. This information must be readily accessible to consumers, and the new rules extend to digital menus accessed via QR codes.
IMPLEMENTATION TIMELINE OUTLINED
A phased rollout will allow businesses time to adjust to the new requirements. National restaurant chains must comply by July 1, 2026, while establishments with three or more branches in the same province have until December 31, 2026, to implement the changes. Other businesses will have until December 31, 2026, to provide ingredient information and until December 31, 2027, to include calorie details. Full adoption of the detailed menu system across all restaurants and cafes is expected by 2028.
Specifically, the timeline is as follows:
National restaurant chains by July 1, 2026
Businesses with three or more branches in the same province by December 31, 2026
Other businesses – ingredient information by December 31, 2026
Other businesses – calorie information by December 31, 2027
